Container



R. E. ADAMS 2,020,22?

CONTAINER Nov. 5, 1935.

Filed April l5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 5, 1935 umTED ...STAT Es CONTAINER nicharafnndams, Mo'ufstpwn, NJ. Application 'April 13, 1935, Serial No. '16,178

f7 claims. (c1. 217-122) I ."1hisinvention relates toanrimproved container or basket in which various produce, such as perishable V-fruit and the llikemay 'be :packed and shipped, theipurpose beingsto insure the utmost `protection Efor ythe I-produce.

Experience has shown that itis .preferable to luse aonultiplesectional 32 quart container iinlieu ci l:afslingle F32 quart bushelrcontainer, fthe shipment Yof the produce being accomplished with greater Afacility andcan *be handled :with lgreater ease fand inore convenience at destinations, fby treason of ther fact that tthe multiple sections can be separated, ieach 'sectionA of thelconta'iner having la Acapacity lof 16 quart-containers, :it being Aobvious that each section tlor. each 16 quart container=can-be1easily carried and moved from one .place to 'another at destination.

In lorder to accomplish lthe f purpose `in mind the 32 quart bushel container-comprises two sections or baskets, each having acapacity of 16 quarts, .and one invertedupon the'other, that fis tosay 4when liilled. To arrive at ithis ,result each 16 -quart container or 'basket Yis rst :filled with the produce or Aperishable fruit and rthe llike, aV lid 1being mounted on veach 16r quart container, in .combination with means to hold the lid in aplace,

in 'which event 'one -16 quart containeris `inverted upon the other, there =being means to 1hold the two 16 quart containers fastenedtogether, the lids being so positioned as 'to afprda Aspace `for Vthe receptionof `shredded paper, `excelsior or the like, notonly affording an airspace but actingfas acush'ion. Whenthe .container reaches its desti- Ination the two sections, 16 `quarts each, Ycan vbe `separated easily v'and the :lids remain iin place, and are easily handled without any diiculty, until it -is desired to remove the produce. `v i Another .pin-pose is to provide improved means for `holding the Ilids in place, and to .rprovide improved means for vholding the two lsectio connected.

It is tobefunderstood that the particulars hereingiven are 'in'n'o way limitative, fand that lwhile still keeping `within the scope of `the invention, any desired modification of ldetails and :proportions may be 4made `in the Aconstruction lof the appliance according `to circumstances.

The invention 'comprises -further :featuresiand combination of parts -to`be hereinafter set forth, shown in 'the drawings and claimed.

In `lthe drawingsz- Figure 1 is a vview in side `elevation of the `improved 32 quart container, rshowing lthe two sections :fastened together.

Figure'Z fis la verticalfsectional 'viewfon rline 2`-2 :hoops I at diametrically opposite points.

of fFigure l, showing wires for holding the two sections together, and illustrating the lids, being spaced 'and including means for holding the 'lids in position, the spacing ofthe lids acting as a compartment for the reception of shredded paper 5, or excelsior or the like to-act as a cushion. ligure' vis an enlarged detail view showing 'wire/means for holding the lids in position.

sFigure 4 isA an enlarged detail view'showing wire means for connecting the two sections of the 32 10 lquart container.

:Figure 5 is a modied construction of clip for "engaging the two bands or hoops of the 16 quart containers instead of utilizing wires as in Figures land 2. 15 Figure is a detail view'of the'clip shownin 'Figure y5.

`Figure '7 is a View in side elevation of another form of =contain`er, with a modified 'form of lid fsecuring-means therefor. 20 I 16 rvquartacontainer sections or baskets but they yrnaysbeof any size and-shape and made from any suitable material. Howeveithe sections shown Varemadelupfof thinwood strips 3 with portions 30 Vll extending substantially vertically, Vand other portions 5` extending radially at 'different angles across 'the bottom, there being hoops t, l, and 8' on the exterior to hold the strips in place. Suitable-staples =9 engage through-the hoops and 35. through 'the strips to hold the structuretogether. The hoops are exteriorly of the'containerand are in positionsadjacent'each other, there being interio'r hoops l0 adjacent the hoops 8, staples Il passing through the two hoops 8 and l0 and 40 throughthe `strips and clinched as at 12.

Suitable lids |3 varep-rovided for the 16 quart containers, and are kpositioned in spaced rela- .tion from the edges of the hoops 8 and l, anordying a "suitable air space for the reception of 45 shredded paper, e'xcelsior or the like as shown at @I 4,`which constitutes a cushion.

4'The `lids are provided with suitable holes or 'circular openings `l5 for the reception of certain 'of-thellngersoffan operators `hand when placing 50, each `lid in position, lfor the 'purpose of partially turning the lids. The reason for turning the lids is for the purpose of positioning the lids fbel'ow abutments l5, `which are I'positioned on the The j lids have cut away portions I1, which are of a length a trifle larger than the abutments. In placing the lids in position these cut away portions are first registered with the abutments, and

then the lids are pushed down far enough, so that by turning the lids partially by inserting thev ngers in said openings, it is possible to turn or rotate the lids partially to bring the solid portions of the lids under the abutments for keeping them in place.

For the purpose of connecting the two 16 quart container sections together, one inverted upon the other as in Figures 1 and 2, Wire staples I9 are inserted through the hoops I0 and 8 and the upper ends of the strips which form walls of the containers. The end portions of the wire staples of one container are twisted to the arms of the staples of the inverted container or basket, thereby providing one form of means for fastening the two containers together.

As a modied means to fasten the containers or baskets together sheet metal clips 20 are provided. These clips are each made of a single 22 to engage the upper and lower remote edges sheet metal strip bent to cause a V shaped central portion 2| to be formed, the ends of the sheet metal stripterminating in clinching hooks 22. Normally the sides of the V shaped central portion 2| are spread apart, to allow the hooks of the'adjacent hoops 8, and then some suitable tool similar to a pair of pinchers or the like (not shown) may be engaged with the V shaped central portion 2| of the clip, drawing the sides of the V shaped portion 2| together, and the hooks 35j tight against the upper and lower remote edges ofthe adjacent hoops 8. After the sides of the central V shaped portions 2| are dr-awn together they may be bent over as shown in the drawings.

In shipping produce it is obvious that one basket or 16 quart container is inverted on the top of the other as in Figure 1, the two sections or containers first having been lled with produce and the lids placed in position, the two containers being securely fastened together in the manner shown. In this manner produce may be safely shipped, and due to the cushion between the two lids, all possibility of injury to the produce is avoided. When the 32 quart container or package reaches its destination, the 16 quart containers may be easily separated, in which event they can be easily handled or moved from one place to another, and by imparting a partial turn or rotation of the lids until the cut away portions register with the abutments the lids can be easily removed for gaining access to the produce.

Referring to Figures 7, 8, and 9 and Figure 10, it will be noted that the 32 quart container is slightly modified. However, it still comprises two 16 quart container sections 24. It will be noted that these container sections 24 are not conical as in Figures l and 2. However, these container sections still include hoops 25, 26, and 21 similar to the hoops 6, 1, and 8 and also inside hoops 29 which are similar to the hoops I0. These hoops 25 and 29 have diametrically opposite notches 30 arranged in pairs.

Suitable substantially U shaped wires 3| are inserted through the hoops 25 and 29, and the ends of these wires are twisted together as at 32 to retain them in place. Ordinarily these U sh-aped wires constitute handles, extending vertically so that the container sections can be carried from one place to another.

Suitable lids 33 in this instance are inserted in the inner hoops 29, and are simulated to the lids I3 in Figures l and 2, therefore they comprise the upper and lower pieces 34 and the corrugated inserts 35. When the lids 33 are inserted in place within the upper hoops 29, the h-andles or U shaped wires 3| are bent over so that their two 5 sides are received in the notches 30, and therefore overlie the lids. By providing these notches 30 it is possible for the two container sections to engage flat against each other as shown in Figures 7 and 8.

The lids 33 are vprovided with suitable finger receiving openings 36 so that the lids can be rotated and also are provided with central openings 31, over which suitable cellophane sheets 38 are fastened, so that the produce can be observed 15 on the interior of the container sections.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed'is:V

l. A multiple sectional container comprising container sections, hoops at their adjacent ends, 20

clips having hooks. engaging the remote edges of the hoops, means to draw the clips together on the hoops, lids inserted in the adjacent ends of the container sections and spaced from each other, cushioning means between the lids, and 25 means for securingthe lids in closed position, said last named securing means comprising cut away portions adjacent the edges ofthe lids, and segmental abutments at diametrically opposite parts of the interior of the container sections with 3.0.

which the cut away portions may register allowing the lids to be inserted and partially rotated to bring the lids under the abutments.

2. A multiple sectional container comprising upper and lower container sections, one inverted v upon the other, means for fastening said sections together, a lid for each section and being spaced from each other, a cushioning ller between the lids, and means associated with the-sections for detachably securing the ylids in closed position. 40 3. A multiple sectional container comprising a pair of container sections, one inverted upon the other, means for detachably securing the sections together, a cushion lid for each section, means associated with the sections for securing the lids in closed position and spaced from each other, a cushioning filler between the lids, said lids having openings therein and transparent means closing the openings.

4. A multiple sectional container comprising a v pair of container sections, means for securing one of said sections in an inverted position upon the other, a lid for each section and having diametrically opposite cut away portions, segment abutments secured to the walls of the container sections interiorly thereof at diametrically opposite sides to accommodate the cut away portions upon registering the latter with the abutments and said lids being rotated for disposing solid portions thereof under the abutments to secure the lids in closed position.

5. A multiple sectional container comprising a pair of container sections, one inverted upon the other, hoops included in each section at the outer edges thereof, means received by said hoops for securing the sections together, a lid for each section, means at the adjacent ends of the sections and including means extending between the lids for engagement therewith for securing the lids to their sections in spaced relation to each other, said lids having openings therein, and a cushioning filler between the lids.

6. A multiple sectional container comprising a pair of container sections, one inverted upon the other, hoops included in the sections and disposed at the adjacent ends thereof, clips provided with hooks Yat f their ends for engagement with the hoops for securing the container sections together, outwardly directed V-shaped portions between the ends of the clips and adapted to have their ends clamped together for securing the hoops in binding engagement with the hooks, a lid or each section, means for securing the lids in closedposition, and a cushioning ller between 10 the lids.

7. A multiple sectional container comprising container sections, one inverted upon the other, hoops included in each section and some of said hoops being arranged at the adjacent ends thereof, the latter hoops having notches therein, means received by the latter hoops for securing the sections together, a lid for each section, means for Securing the lids in closed position and xed to the hoops and said lid securing means being arranged in the notches for disposal between the RICHARD E. ADAMS. 

